Palin Criticizes Obama On Iraq Even Before Speech

Sarah Palin took to her Facebook page to attack President Obama on the day of his address to the nation about the end of combat operations in Iraq; only, she chose to do it before the actual speech was given or released.

• As Americans tune in to watch President Obama, it is important to remember the facts. He opposed the surge. He predicted it would fail. He said it would make things worse even after it dramatically improved the situation. He voted to cut off funds for our brave soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines fighting in Iraq. For months he refused to accept that the surge he fought was actually a spectacular success.

Obama has acknowledged that it was the addition of troops after the Anbar Awakening, where we paid off insurgents, that led to the tamping down of hostilities in Iraq. He even said it succeeded “beyond our wildest dreams” before the 2008 election. In fact it was, as Kevin Drum explains it, the “4 S’s”: Surge, Sadr ceasefire, Sectarian cleansing, and Sunni Awakening. Of course Republicans are playing politics, like Palin, and already blaming Obama for not thanking George W. Bush.

• As President Obama usually likes to look backwards and declare the state of everything to be “George Bush’s fault,” my hope is that tonight he stays consistent and looks backwards, and in this case acknowledges that credit should be given where credit is due.

• Suggestions for the president: please show grace, humility and some honesty before the American people tonight. Please don’t declare “Mission Accomplished” and then saunter away with an assumption that your opposition to the Iraq strategy was key to our troops’ success. Please end the political posturing. Admit you were wrong about the surge…Being honest with us tonight is a good starting point in building trust.

How about being gracious enough, and honest enough to acknowledge that the president called President Bush, and how about being humble enough to wait until a speech is given before you criticize it. And being honest as a “starting point”? Ladies first.